Published October 21, 2016 at 9:33 PM Updated December 20, 2016 at 12:38 PM

Another blow to the opposition’s efforts to oust Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro from office.

The country’s electoral authority has blocked their plans for a recall referendum. The opposition said it’s not giving up and will continue the nationwide protests.

CCTV America’s Stephen Gibbs reports.

Venezuela election officials suspend recall drive against Maduro

Another blow to the opposition’s efforts to oust Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro from office. The country’s electoral authority has blocked their plans for a recall referendum. The opposition said it’s not giving up and will continue the nationwide protests. CCTV America’s Stephen Gibbs reports.

The latest setback involves a legal challenge to the initial petition calling for a referendum, which the opposition organized last April.

Nine times the number of required signatures was gathered. Venezuela’s pro-government electoral authority eventually declared that enough were valid and the recall process could proceed.

But on Thursday, several regional courts declared the petition was suspicious.

Government supporters, via lurid videos, claim that the names of thousands of deceased voters have shown up on the forms.

That doubt, dismissed as baseless by the opposition, has been enough for the electoral authority to call off the second stage of the vote.

The government was quick to express its pleasure. Meanwhile, Venezuela’s opposition said this is all tantamount to an attack on the country’s constitution, by the government itself.

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